Most people best know the chicken from their dinner plates -- whether as thigh, wing or drumstick. Consumers barely pause a moment to consider the bird's many virtues. Filmmaker Mark Lewis (Cane Toads: An Unnatural History and Rat) expands the frontiers of popular awareness and delightfully reveals that this small, common and seemingly simple animal is as complex and grand as any of Earth's creatures.

I have a BA in Cinema Production from USC and worked in the entertainment business for about twenty years. This is one of the most amazing documentaries I have ever seen. Mark Lewis makes...Read complete review

I have a BA in Cinema Production from USC and worked in the entertainment business for about twenty years. This is one of the most amazing documentaries I have ever seen. Mark Lewis makes an utterly insipid subject utterly fascinating. The photography and editing are terrific. The film isn't just about chickens, but the people who own them and their stories are absolutely sensational. The segment with the kooky woman swimming with her pet chicken in the fountain was what sent me over the edge. A must-see!

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Most Liked Negative Review

Natural History of the Chicken

I was really hoping for a more informative documentary showing the chicken's evolution from its start in the jungles of Southeast Asia to the egg-laying and muscle-building machines they are today. I would have...Read complete review

I was really hoping for a more informative documentary showing the chicken's evolution from its start in the jungles of Southeast Asia to the egg-laying and muscle-building machines they are today. I would have also loved to have seen their development as showbirds and how exhibition chickens come in so many breeds and varieties. Though entertaining, this program was a major let-down.

My daughter lives in Colorado and has around 20 something chickens with one rooster named Red. I made sure my grandson got a copy of the movie. The only problem is when the family slaughters one for dinner. While that is the normal part of a farm and what goes on it can be most disconcerting to a young boy who hasn't seen it before. I do think the best part is where the white fluffy mom calls her brood together when the hawk comes but she saves them. I thaught it was most couragous on her part. All of us were most amazed at the whole video. Thanks NPR!